10 million Baht put aside to fight Cambodia on Preah Vihear

By The Nation

Published on July 14, 2010

The Cabinet yesterday allocated Bt10 million for the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to use in the campaign against Cambodia's management plan on Preah Vihear's, which it will present at the World Heritage committee meeting in Brazil later this month.

The Hindu temple near the Thai-Cambodian border was listed in July 2008 as a World Heritage Site, but Thailand has been lobbying member countries to delay Phnom Penh's management plan owing to disputes in areas adjacent to the temple.

The Thai authorities want Cambodia's management plan to be delayed until the border dispute is settled, the government's deputy spokesman Marut Masayawanit said.

The Bt10 million will be spent by a delegation representing Thailand at the meeting, which runs from July 25 to August 3, he said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti would lead the delegation and present Thailand's stance to the Unesco World Heritage committee.

"We want to delay the plan because we are still in a border dispute with Cambodia and we have not seen any documents for the management plan," Abhisit told reporters.

Thailand is concerned that Cambodia might use the disputed 4.6-square-kilometre area near the temple as a buffer zone for the site.

Abhisit added that the committee's decision would not affect Thailand's boundary with Cambodia, but it was advisable that no decisions were made while the disputes remained.

According to a 1962 verdict from the International Court of Justice, the Preah Vihear temple is located in Cambodia, but Thailand claims that areas adjacent to the temple belong to Thailand. The two countries are still in the process of negotiation for boundary demarcation.